Bellator 55 takes place at Cocopah Resort and Casino in Yuma, Ariz. Main-card action airs live on MTV2 while preliminary-card fights, including Escudero vs. Avila, stream live on Spike.com.

The bout marks the Bellator debut of Escudero, who surprisingly was cut from the UFC following a 2-3 run in the organization. The release at least partially was the result of Escudero missing weight for a UFC Fight Night 22 fight with Charles Oliveira he ultimately lost.

Recently, Escudero has won four of his past five fights on the regional circuit; the Arizonan’s lone loss came to fellow UFC vet Fabricio Camoes at Tachi Palace Fights 9.

Avila, a California-based fighter, is a four-year pro who’s earned stoppages in all six of his career wins. The Warrior Championship Fighting vet most recently earned a first-round submission victory over Luis Magana.